I am an Associate Professor in the School of Accountancy and MIS at DePaul University in Chicago, IL. My passion is white-collar crime. My research has been published in such journals as Behavioral Research in Accounting, Auditing: A Journal of Practice and Theory, Journal of Business Ethics, The CPA Journal and Journal of Accountancy. I am also the founder of Helios Digital Learning, Inc., an education media company that offers a suite of educational, consulting and training products and services designed to help organizations understand, identify and prevent fraud. My first white-collar crime documentary, Crossing the Line: Ordinary People Committing Extraordinary Crime, was a 2012 recipient of the American Accounting Association Ethics Committee’s Teaching Award and a recipient of the 2012 Mark Chain/FSA Teaching Innovation Award sponsored by the AICPA. In my free time, I enjoy doing crossfit and half-marathons.

12/13/2012 @ 6:11PM1,342 views

The 12 Days Of Networking

Colleen M. Fashing is associate director of alumni relations at DePaul University. She is also an adjunct faculty member in the college of communication. Fashing oversees alumni career services and volunteer opportunities. She currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Eastern Illinois University Alumni Association.

The 12 Days of Networking Challenge

Give yourself the gift of a satisfying career and take the 12 Days of Networking Challenge. With just 12 days left until Santa comes to town, use this day-by-dayguide to launch your new professional development goals in time for Christmas.

If this is you, start by creating a five-point professional “bucket list” to complete by the end of 2013. By creating a big-picture look at what you ultimately want to achieve, you can begin to identify the smaller pieces in your arsenal of tools.

Writing your aspirations on paper with an end-of-2013 deadline, will also force you to be accountable and achieve those goals by the end of the year.

2nd Day (12/15) Small business Saturday

Getting to know successful small business owners in your community is a great way to connect with community members who you might not have the opportunity to speak with during large or official networking events.

Stop by and chat them up early in the day in order to have their full attention. This gives you the opportunity to support a small business and show your appreciation. It also gives you the chance to see first-hand what works and what doesn’t in small business setting. Perfect if you wish to open one yourself.

Take the time to walk around and see what your community is lacking. Maybe you’ll notice there is no coffee shop open on a very busy street in town where many shops are open late. This might be the business needed in that community and could potentially lead you down your next career path.

3rd Day of Networking (12/16) Pancake breakfast with Santa

Growing up Catholic on Chicago’s Southside meant a pancake breakfast with Santa almost every Sunday in December. In this social setting, attendants are relaxed and more open to communication and meeting the people in their community. Take the time to meet them and grow your network through the strength of weak ties. Compliment the man in the silly turtleneck and sweater for his holiday cheer, he might be the president of the company where your dream job is located. This type of an event is an excellent opportunity to network outside the box for the holiday season.

4th Day of Networking (12/17) Top 25

Start making a list of the top 25 companies that you’d like to work for. Research their company profiles via LinkedIn, Forbes and news articles to see if projected growth for those companies is being reported. Once you know what companies you’re researching, you can tap your own network for information. Get in touch with a former classmate, friend or co-worker. They might know of a job opening that has yet to be posted, or will think of you when something does open up.

5th Day of Networking (12/18) Dinner with friends

The holidays are jam packed with social gatherings. It’s a time spent with a wide array of people. Use this to your advantage. Use the career plan you created in your first day to articulate what you want for 2013 to friends, and ask them to keep you in mind for anything that may be related.

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Comments

I like how this prompts you to be very intentional about networking. I don’t know about others, but I tend to approach networking in a sort of when-it-happens-it-happens way. Your suggested method creates a sense of mindfulness about it.

Thanks, Susannah. Networking connections are all around you. I believe if you have a plan to where you want to go (Top 25), those purposeful interactions will happen in a very casual setting. The challenge for most is figuring out your Top 25.

Nice work Colleen ! Networking is more of an art form than a science. People who are naturally shy – have to work hard to overcome that. You make a lot of good points in the article. The one thing that will ring true – is if that you choose not to go to an event, you WILL get nothing out of it. If you do – there are no guarantees – but you are in the game. It’s usually when you are most relaxed or most casual – you will find some great results. Sometimes at these networking events – you will have access to executives that you would not have during the work day. Going to things that are sponsored by Alumni Associations, trade groups, and networking groups like 5 O’Clock Club can be hard work at times, but – often well worth the effort. You just have to put yourself out there and ask questions to people you don’t know. People often make the mistake of just talking to people they know….and that you can do anytime. People have to learn the art of being persistent – without being a pest. Good luck !